On Being Grateful, Building Businesses, and Feeling Things

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm currently in dog auntie mode, snuggling Jeffrey and Daisy with Gilmore girls playing in the background. It feels so good to be home after a crazy week of travel.  There's something about November that makes me slow down long enough to actually feel things.  I don’t want this to become a sappy gratitude letter, but I did want to take a moment today to thank you for being here. If you are reading this, you are either one, related to me, two, my friend for ten plus years, or three, you genuinely enjoy and get value from what I share online.  If you are one or two, know that I love you infinitely for supporting me through every crazy notion I’ve ever had, and if you are in that third category, THANK YOU. I cannot thank you enough for putting your trust in me, in my work, in my opinions.   

This year has taught me that the best thing you can do in life is sometimes break everything and start over. Just raze it to the ground.  

I'm grateful for the people who stuck around during the messy parts. For work that actually lights me up instead of burns me out. For clients who see value in our contributions. For a team that is always game for a challenge.  For a family that loves me, a New York apartment to call home, and friends who show up. My definition of success is the epitome of this gratitude and the life I am fortunate enough to live.  

I also understand that not everyone is as fortunate, that life is hard, and it gets the best of us sometimes, so if you are sitting with something heavy, know my heart is reaching out to yours, and that you’re not alone. I’m only one message away. 

Without further ado, here’s MHOB’s Thanksgiving edition!

Saturday's storm taught me something about being alone - My phone died at a wine bar during a thunderstorm with zero distractions, and I had this moment where I realized I genuinely love my own company now. When did I stop needing constant validation to feel okay about existing? 

You can steal the recipe, but the sauce won't taste the same - Someone can copy your entire campaign structure, but if they don't have the context for why it works, they're just going through motions. My Abuelita taught me to cook with feelings, with love, and that same intuition applies to business. 

The inconvenience generation: when friendship becomes transactional - Gen Z's calling out friends who ask for "inconvenient" favors like helping someone move or watching their dog. When did we decide that inconvenience is the enemy of connection? 

Rhode Became Sephora UK's Bestseller in One Week: Hailey Bieber's brand hit number one at Sephora UK after debuting on November 10, following its $10M US launch.

Trump's Tariffs Rewired Fashion's Supply Chain: US apparel tariffs spiked to 36%, and 76% of fashion execs say trade disruptions are the biggest factor shaping 2026.

Pop Mart's Labubu Hits the Macy's Parade: The toy company behind viral Labubu dolls is debuting at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with 16-foot inflatables.

Friendsgiving Went From Potluck to Cultural Moment: What started as a low-pressure alternative in the 2010s is now a full cultural mainstay where friends are the new family.

Bezos Bought His Way Into the Met Gala: Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are the 2026 Met Gala lead sponsors, breaking tradition where legacy fashion houses held that spot.

Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue Is All Men: The magazine's latest issue features 12 male actors billed as “our new class of leading men”.

Google Launched Nano Banana Pro: Google's updated AI image generator built on Gemini 3 Pro can handle infographics and keep character consistency across 14 images.

WIRED's 12 Tech Gifts Worth Buying: The roundup includes the Switch 2, xBloom Studio Coffee Machine, and Logitech MX Master 4 for your WFH spouse.

Spain Fined Meta $550 Million: A Spanish court ordered Meta to pay $552 million to 87 publishers for unlawfully processing user data between 2018-2023.

We're gearing up for Season 2 of the MHOB podcast (big things coming, stay tuned), but first I need you to listen to this one.

One Year In: What Breaking Taught Me About Building

This is the most vulnerable episode I've recorded. It's our anniversary special, where I opened up about hitting rock bottom this year, what burnout actually looks like when you ignore it, and how I'm rebuilding everything differently.

Key takeaways:

If you're saying yes when you mean no, this episode is permission to pause.

Listen to the full episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Women make up only 26% of global crypto investors, not because we don't understand it, but because the ecosystem was designed to keep us out. The numbers are brutal: 6% of crypto CEOs are women, we get 10% of startup funding, and 82% report experiencing harassment; but here's the twist: when women DO show up in crypto, we outperform men on returns, build smarter portfolios, and focus on long-term gains instead of chasing pumps. While the bros protect their club, women are quietly proving the future of finance doesn't need to copy the worst parts of traditional finance. 

Read more here.

If you're in New York and looking to give back this week, here are some local organizations doing real work:

City Harvest NYC - Rescues surplus food for New Yorkers facing hunger

Food Bank for NYC - Drop off food or donate online

Bright Light - Group volunteer opportunities

The Bowery Mission - Meals and shelter for those experiencing homelessness

New York Cares Coat Drive - Winter coat collection

All Of Us Clothing - Clothing distribution for New Yorkers in need

Whatever you can give matters. A dollar, an hour, a coat. It all counts.

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P.S. Did you love this edit? Take 5 seconds to forward this to a friend who could use some no-bull advice and insights to get them through those “life is life-ing” days.